what is the difference between a f100 and a f150?

 

Some years had different lug patterns. The f100 had the 5 on 4.5 car pattern. The f150 had the 5 on 5.5 pattern. I am guessing springs and brakes are probably different too.

 

I have both a 74 and an 83 F100 and both have the 5x5.5 bolt pattern and same brakes - disc front & drum rear. Front spring is determined by engine size in the 74 and I am sure as well in the 83. The only thing that "may" be different is the rear leaf springs but I doubt that. Anyone know for sure?

 

The F100's are a light duty 1/2 ton, the F150's are a heavy duty 1/2 ton.

That being said, the F100's(the early 80's versions) were not really designed to do much in the way of work. They were pretty much a truck for a person who needed something bigger than a 1/4 ton, but didn't need a truck that would haul boats, camper's, camper trailer's, etc.

The F100's are still a good little truck, and will do most anyone's basic yard tasks. I've hauled garden tractors and quads around with them, hauled hay out to the cattle and horses when I still lived on the farm, and found them to work very dependably. Just make sure and check the door sticker for the load rating, and work it accordingly.

 

But what does that translate to in actual specification differences? My 83 is the last model year for the F100 and I haven't been able to figure out what makes one a "light-duty" and the F150 a "heavy-duty" truck. AFAIK, the frames are the same, the brakes are the same and the front springs are the same. The axles are the same, the sheet metal is the same, etc...

 

Back in 1983 when I bought my F150 new I ask the dealer that same question. He said that the F100 was a 1/2 ton and that Ford was required to put a lot of pollution control devices on it. So to get around most of it Ford came out with what they called a heavy 1/2 Ton or the F-150. It had a little more carrying capacity than the F100. That way they got around most of the Fed. Pollution guide lines.


The F100 or F10 had a 4700 lb. GVWR
The F150 or F15 & X15 had from 5250 lb. GVWR to 6250 lb. GVWR.
They also had a 4X4 F150 or F14 - X14 that went up to 6450 lb. GVWR.

 

the f 150 had a 6050 gvwr to bypass the smog rules. it also had a 5 spring leaf pack in the rear. the rear end was also different from a f150 the f100 had 28 spline axles the f 150 had 31 and better wheel bearings. the brakes are also a different size along with the master cylinder and brake booster.

 

I can't speak for 79 and older trucks, but on an 80-83 F100, the only difference between the F100 and a F150 were the spring rates, the fact that you couldn't get anything bigger than a 302, and you couldn't get 4wd, but only if you bought manual brakes. At least 80-82, possibly some of 83, power brakes got you the 5x4.5 bolt pattern found on cars, smaller brakes(probably car stuff) and different front spindles to go with the smaller rotors. As for the rear end, I've never had an 80 or newer 9" apart that wasn't 31 spline, and I've had 3 F100's(80,81 and 82, all manual brake trucks).

 

ya my 83 f100 has 31 spline 9 inch too. the way i c it theres one big difference between the 100 and 150 in 1983- factory tires. my 100 came with p195 75 15s. thats pathetic for a full size truck. i put some 31 10.50's on with some 90's steel wheels and it looks way better. my 100 has the same 302, aod, and 9 inch as a 150. the 11 inch drum brakes are the same as a 150. my front brakes r a slightly smaller size than the150 and they are more expensive than the slightly bigger 150 fronts. ive looked up the front spring part numbers on alldata and they show the same part number for replacement springs in both.i feel my truck is just as capable for hauling and towing as a 150 from the same year.ive hauled 1500 pounds of rock in mine and it handled it just fine.just because the gvwr is only 4700 pounds doesnt mean thats all you can safely carry. my truck weighs 4000 empty with almost no gas so if i fill up both tanks and have 2 175 pound passengers with me in the cab, i'm legally at my weight limit with nothing in the bed! thats absurd for a full size truck. i could take the f100 emblems off and put 150 on and nobody would tell the difference.

 

My trucks have all had standard F150 brakes up front, but, they've all been manual brake units.
My 80 came with the 195's, but, my 81 and 82 are/were Flaresides, and came with 215/75R15's. The 80 was an everything delete truck with manual steering, no radio, and a 3 on the tree. Had a 300, the 3 on the tree, and 2.75 gears, 4700 GVWR. The 81 had the free wheeling package, sports instrumentation and a couple other odds and ends. 300/SROD and 2.47 gears out of the box, again 4700 GVWR. The 82 was another radio delete truck, but, it had P/S. Only real option was the Flareside bed. 300/SROD, and 2.75 gears, with a 4750 GVWR
The GVWR is a joke... espically now that I have the cab off of my 82 on my 86 F250... The truck weighs a good 5600+ sitting with an empty tank... LOL

 

I have a question about them in 1983.

Was all the F100's Engine EEC controlled and F150's not?

In other words did the F100's have DuraSpark III ?

Did the F100's have timing marks?

I know the F150's but have not seen a 1983 F100 under the hood but knew that some trucks had the DuraSpark III but have never seen one with one.

 

The ignition systems found on the F100's is no different than that on the F150's, in 83, DS-III and TFI-IV were showing up in both models, but, DS-II was still out there also. Mainly depends more on how the truck was optioned and where it was origionally intended to be delivered more than anything as far as I can tell.

 

Was 83 the last year for the F-100, my 86 is an F-150 reg. cab short bed and it has a puny 4800 GVWR. I guess they just decided to save money on emblems after 83 huh? I has had many loads over the years pushing it well over the GVWR and no ill effects. (knock on wood). I also realize that it is not a HD model, that is for sure. Dan

 

Ya know, I was wondering the same thing and did a search on this same question just yesterday. Didn't find anything. Glad to see it here with all of the interesting responses.

 

What about the rear axle in an '82 F-100 as far as 8.8? I have a 3.55 and LS unit from a newer police interceptor and wanna drop it in. What axles should it have?